1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a method for selectively enabling or blocking the use of medical equipment arranged in a facility of a customer.
2. Description of the Prior Art
High-performance medical equipment, i.e. medical systems, installations and devices such as magnetic resonance apparatuses, X-ray computed tomography systems, X-ray systems, ultrasound devices or lithotriptors, as well as system options of such medical equipment in the form of specific hardware configurations or application software are usually relatively expensive to acquire and therefore represent a capital investment. For a potential customer of one of these systems, for example a radiologist, it is often very difficult to estimate whether a profitable return on the investment can be expected. Many customers of such medical equipment therefore avoid the capital investment, particularly for new system options of the medical equipment. This results in a loss to patients of the benefit of the diagnostic and therapeutic advantages that such new system options provide. Moreover, technological advances in medical technology may be impeded due to the lack of market penetration on the part of the users.
Published Japanese Application 2001160106 discloses a method and a system for leasing a medical treatment equipment by a customer so that the customer need not purchase the medical treatment equipment. The utilizations of the treatment equipment are registered, stored, and the costs for the utilizations of the treatment equipment are calculated and billed to the customer.
German OS 43 38 240 discloses a dental apparatus that a vendor offers to a customer in a ready-to-use form in return for payment. The apparatus contains a control device that activates and deactivates the apparatus for a specific job performance. The activation of the control device and the enablement of the performance ensue by means of a data carrier. The data carrier can be a diskette or a magnetic card or laser card. The enablement of the performance also can ensue by data transmission via a telephone line by modem.
PCT Applications WO 01/17450 and WO 01/18616 disclose equipment for treating tissue that include a controller, a reader device and a memory card. The memory card has a memory containing an identification code that can be read by the reader device and communicated to the controller. Based on the identification code, the controller either enables or blocks the use of the equipment.
Published French Application 2 776 818 discloses a method wherein medical equipment is provided with an identification number that can be electronically read and communicated to a computer. The prior utilization of the medical equipment can be replicated on the basis of the identification number.
German OS 41 20 110 discloses a telecommunication device with which the fee units per use can be decentrally stored in a user-related manner.